Roller protective device

ABSTRACT

A roller protective device including a bracket, an operating arm reciprocally movably mounted on the bracket for holding a roller, a cover pivotally connected with the operating arm and movable between a first position and a second position in response to the reciprocation of the operating arm for disclosing/enclosing the roller, and a resilient member positioned between the operating arm and the cover. The resilient member always exerts a resilient force onto the cover in a direction to the first position where the cover discloses the roller. In a not used state, the cover is automatically moved to the second position where the cover encloses the roller to protect the roller from contamination of aerosols.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a roller protective device, and more particularly to a protective device for paper-feeding roller of an office machine such as a printer. In a not used state, the roller protective device automatically encloses the roller and isolates the roller from dusts and aerosols. Therefore, the stain of the dusts and aerosols on the roller can be minimized.

An office machine is generally equipped with an automatic paper-feeding unit for delivering papers to be printed or scanned. The conventional paper-feeding unit generally includes multiple rollers for feeding papers or documents into the office machine and delivering the papers or documents through the office machine. For example, in a printer, pick rollers serve to drive a paper into the printer by means of frictional force. However, the rollers are likely to stain with dusts and aerosols to decrease the frictional force between the rollers and the paper. Under such circumstance, the rollers are unable to truly feed the paper or even fail to feed the paper.

Taiwanese Patent No. 93120988 discloses a roller device equipped with a cleaning brush. The cleaning brush is mounted on a rack of the roller in contact with the roller. When the roller operates, the brush cleans off the dusts and aerosols from the roller. However, the cleaning effect achieved by the brush is limited.

It is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a roller protective device which automatically encloses the roller in a not used state and discloses the roller in an operating state. By means of the roller protective device, the stain of dusts and aerosols on the roller can be minimized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a roller protective device which is able to automatically enclose a paper-feeding roller of an office machine in a not used state. Accordingly, the stain of dusts and aerosols on the roller can be minimized.

According to the above object, the roller protective device of the present invention includes: a bracket; an operating arm reciprocally movably mounted on the bracket, a roller being mountable on the operating arm, a cover movable between a first position and a second position in response to the reciprocation of the operating arm for disclosing/enclosing the roller; and a resilient member positioned between the operating arm and the cover. The resilient member always exerts a resilient force onto the cover in a direction to the first position where the cover discloses the roller.

In the above roller protective device, the resilient member has a first end abutting against a shoulder section of the operating arm and a second end fixed on the cover.

In the above roller protective device, the cover has a projection or a pin. When the operating arm is moved backward, the projection or the pin interferes with a wall of the bracket. Under such circumstance, the cover is forcedly moved to the second position to enclose the roller.

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective assembled view of the roller protective device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the roller protective device of the present invention, showing that the operating arm is moved forward (rightward according to FIG. 3);

FIG. 4 is a side view of the roller protective device of the present invention, showing that the operating arm is moved backward;

FIG. 5 is a side view according to FIG. 4, showing that the operating arm is moved backward and the pin of the cover interferes with the bracket of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side view according to FIG. 5, showing that the cover is positioned in the second position where the cover encloses the roller of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. The roller protective device of the present invention includes a bracket 10 having a pivot section 11 and an operating arm 20 having a pivot section 21 pivotally connected with the pivot section 11 of the bracket 10. Accordingly, the operating arm 20 is reciprocally movably mounted on the bracket 10.

The operating arm 20 further has a mounting section 22 on which a roller or a pick roller 30 is mounted. In this embodiment, the mounting section 22 has a hub section or a shaft 23 for pivotally connecting with a cover 40. The cover 40 is movable between a first position and a second position in response to the reciprocation of the operating arm for disclosing/enclosing the roller 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cover 40 has a projection or a pin 41. When the operating arm 20 is moved backward to the bracket 10, the projection or pin 41 interferes with the wall 12 of the bracket 10. Under such circumstance, the cover 40 is forcedly moved to the second position to enclose the roller 30. This will be further described hereinafter.

A resilient member 50 is fitted on the hub section or the shaft 23 of the mounting section 22 and positioned between the operating arm 20 and the cover 40. The resilient member 50 has a first end 51 abutting against a shoulder section 24 of the mounting section 22 and a second end 52 fixed on the cover 40. Accordingly, the resilient member 50 always exerts a resilient force onto the cover 40 in a direction to the first position where the cover 40 discloses the roller 30.

FIG. 3 shows that the operating arm 20 is moved forward (rightward according to FIG. 3) to a position where the roller 30 operates to feed or pick a paper. At this time, with the resilient member 50 free from any external force, the cover 40 is positioned in the first position where the cover 40 discloses the roller 30. After the feeding or picking operation of the roller 30 is completed, the operating arm 20 is backward moved leftward. At this time, the projection or pin 41 of the cover 40 interferes with the wall 12 of the bracket 10 as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the operating arm 20 further swings leftward, due to the interference of the wall 12 with the projection or pin 41 of the cover 40, the cover 40 is forcedly rotated to the second position. At this time, the resilient member 50 is twisted to conserve energy and the cover 40 encloses the roller 30 as shown in FIG. 6. It should be noted that when the operating arm 20 again swings rightward, the projection or pin 41 of the cover 40 is released from the interference of the wall 12. At this time, the resilient member 50 will release the conserved energy and resiliently force the cover 40 to move toward the first position where the cover 40 again discloses the roller 30 as shown in FIG. 3.

According to the above arrangement, when the roller 30 feeds or picks the paper, the cover 40 automatically discloses the roller 30. Reversely, in a not used state, the cover 40 automatically encloses the roller 30 and isolates the roller 30 from dusts and aerosols. Therefore, the stain of the dusts and aerosols on the roller 30 can be minimized.

The present invention has the following advantages over the conventional device:

-   -   1. In comparison with the conventional device, the structure of         the roller protective device of the present invention is         simplified without occupying much room.     -   2. Instead of the conventional cleaning brush for cleaning the         roller, the roller protective device of the present invention         serves to automatically enclose the roller 30 in a not used         state and disclose the roller 30 in an operating state.         Therefore, the stain of the dusts and aerosols on the roller 30         can be avoided or minimized.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A roller protective device comprising: a bracket; an operating arm pivotally connected with the bracket and reciprocally movably mounted on the bracket; a roller mounted on the operating arm; and a cover movable between a first position and a second position in response to the reciprocation of the operating arm for disclosing/enclosing the roller.
 2. The roller protective device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket has a wall and a pivot section pivotally connecting with the operating arm.
 3. The roller protective device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operation arm has a pivot section pivotally connected with the pivot section of the bracket.
 4. The roller protective device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating arm has a mounting section on which the roller is mounted.
 5. The roller protective device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mounting section has a hub section or a shaft for pivotally connecting with the cover.
 6. The roller protective device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has a projection or a pin.
 7. The roller protective device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a resilient member is positioned between the operating arm and the cover.
 8. The roller protective device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the resilient member has a first end abutting against a shoulder section of the operating arm and a second end fixed on the cover. 